In hose production, the hose such as a sock has to be reversed, or turned inside out, at the end of the manufacturing operation for sewing the front end of the sock in the region between the top edge of the toe or "toe-cap" and the top surface edge of the sock, which results in a finishing seam above the toes when the sock is worn on the foot. The sewing operation is usually performed by circular or straight sewing machines, over which the sock is suspended in the area to be sewn.
When sewing is completed, the sock has to be removed from the needles of the sewing machine and reversed or turned inside out again to be sent for pressing and packing. There are numerous machines for carrying out this operation, but they have certain disadvantages in use, due to the possibility of error in inserting the sock between the turning components of the machine, and there is hence a necessity for manual unjamming; as a result there can be numerous rejects.
Some of the well-known machines also have a complex construction and are slow in operation, slowing down the production cycle.